Troublemaker

At the start of this exceptionally engaging novel of romantic suspense from bestseller Howard (Shadow Woman), a sniper shoots and nearly kills Morgan Yancy, the leader of the deadly top-secret GO-Team (global offensive), outside his condo in the Washington, D.C., area. Axel MacNamara, Morgan's boss, concludes that the Russian mob was behind the attempted hit, but Morgan can't think of any reason why he was targeted. Concerned for Morgan's safety, Axel chooses to hide him in the little town of Hamrickville, W.Va., where Axel's stepsister, Isabeau "Bo" Maran, is the police chief. Fiercely independent Bo, who lives with her golden retriever, Tricks, resents the imposition of caring for Morgan, who's slowly recovering from his chest wound. But Bo and curious townspeople adjust to his presence as the uneasy relationship between the stepsiblings deepens. Eventually, Morgan and Bo rehash his shooting and uncover a vital clue that allows Morgan to set a trap with himself as bait. Howard's strong characters, including Tricks and a number of Hamrickville locals, keep the pages turning until the climactic confrontation. Agent: Robin Rue, Writers House. (May)